In both the United States and Europe, safety regulations require vehicles to include front and rear impact absorbing devices, such as bumpers. These impact absorbing devices may be designed to protect both the vehicle and pedestrians in case of an accident. Because of their safety function, impact absorbing devices are regulated. For example, standards such as FMVHS pt. 581 (49 C.F.R. § 581), in the United States, and ECE Reg. 42, in Europe, dictate the positioning of impact absorbing devices on the chassis of a vehicle, and impose safety standards.
In addition to hosting the impact absorbing devices, the chassis or body of a vehicle must provide a route for air to reach components associated with the chassis, such as a primary power source (for an electric vehicle, a fuel cell vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or a conventional internal combustion engine vehicle), a vehicle cooling system, a transmission, an oil cooler, a radiator, or other components known in the art. Traditionally vehicle manufacturers have designed vehicles so that this air flow passes over or under a bumper, in order to meet safety standards and provide the necessary air flow. This configuration may limit the cooling and/or design options available to vehicle designers and manufacturers.
The disclosed impact absorbing device is directed to addressing one or more of the possible drawbacks discussed above and/or other problems of the prior art.